‘Made in Queens’ a south Queens Women’s March exhibit

The South Queens Women’s March (SQWM) will hold the opening night of its inaugural art exhibition “Made in Queens” in Jamaica, Queens, on Saturday, May 15, from 4 pm – 7 pm.

The invitation only launch, will feature a brief program, and open to the press, at King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica Queens (located inside Rufus King Park).

“Made in Queens” will welcome the public from May 16 through Sept. 15 at the King Manor Museum, the former home of Rufus King, a framer and signer of the United States Constitution.

To view the exhibit, members of the public must book a reservation for a tour of the exhibit through the King Manor Museum website at https://www.kingmanor.org/reservations.

According to the group, “Made in Queens” is SQWM’s attempt to decolonize the art that we consume. The organization is doing so by hosting its own exhibit highlighting local BIPOC artists “representing the REAL Queens, New York.” According to SQWM, for a long time, those with access, means and money have determined what is valuable in our society, especially when it comes to art.

The least represented groups in the art world are BIPOC, and more specifically, are women of color and gender expansive people.

“South Queens Women’s March was founded to celebrate the resilience of women, girls and gender-fluid people in our community in spite of the struggles we continue to experience. We exist to connect women, girls and gender-fluid people with the tools they need to thrive. This includes access to the arts. For too long, access has been cost-prohibitive and not reflective of our actual communities.

‘We’ve made it a point to use art as a catalyst for social and political change, and as part of healing in our work to curb gender-based violence. Our team has worked tirelessly to bring this offering to our beloved Queens,” said Aminta Kilawan-Narine, founder and director of South Queens Women’s March.

Inspired by global and national women’s rights movements, the South Queens Women’s March amplifies the voices of South Queens’ diverse women. SQWM is an all-volunteer multi-generational, intersectional platform working to foster women’s empowerment through dismantling norms, practices, and institutions that support patriarchy and gender injustice.

The organization has taken to the streets to unify women and gender non-conforming individuals in the South Queens community and provide them with the tools and resources necessary to empower their own lives and thrive. Since its inception, SQWM has been curbing food insecurity, period poverty, building healthy relationships, and promoting wellness within South Queens.

SQWM’s vision is to create a world free of violence, injustice, and oppression; a world where all people are on equitable footing, in the home, the workplace, in houses of worship, and in larger community spaces.